Pentagon approves military use of iPhones and iPads

The iPhone 5 and other Apple products might not just be for civilians anymore.

The iPhone 5 and other Apple products might not just be for civilians anymore. (Angel Navarrete / Bloomberg)

Salvador Rodriguez

The U.S. Defense Department on Friday approved the use of iOS devices for its network and systems, setting up a fight among Apple, Samsung and BlackBerry for the department's business.

The Pentagon said it will allow the use of Apple devices running iOS 6, the tech company's latest version of its mobile operating system. That approval comes as part of what the Pentagon said was a way to boost competition and allow its personnel to use the latest and greatest consumer devices.

Approval of Apple's devices comes two weeks after the Pentagon OK'd BlackBerry and Samsung devices for military use.

The approval of Apple, BlackBerry and Samsung's "operating systems demonstrate [Defense Information Systems Agency’s] commitment to validate a range of devices that meet DoD security standards so the best technology is available to achieve DoD mission requirements," the department said in a statement Friday.

Device orders, however, will come later and will be determined by the groups within the department.

The Pentagon said it has more than 600,000 commercial mobile devices in use by its personnel -- most of them BlackBerry.